The Seventh Names
by mmads13andAliAlice
Summary: 'Walking out from behind the counter I stood on my toes and caught his lips in a simple kiss. It sent shivers down my spine. "You're awfully friendly today, aren't you?" His voice was like velvet and I knew I would have to work extra hard to keep the charade up.' Witnessing the death of a woman, Bella is thrust into a world of futuristic science and a world she had no idea existed.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Another idea that I couldn't get out of my head. Inspired by Orphan Black. I know this chapter is really similar, but the rest of the story is very different. Hopefully you guys will enjoy it too! Shoutout to Mads as usual. I also have a Pintrest board to go with this story if you are interested. (take away the spaces and) it's www. ****pintrest AliAlicee**

Behind the Mask

It had been a year since I started running with James. A year of hell- physical and emotional abuse. Every time I tried to leave, he'd take the money out of my account, emotionally blackmail me or make it physically impossible to walk. He was a sick and twisted bastard- one that stopped me from attending my parents' funeral and seeing my best friend, Jacob. It was always about him, about the drugs and about the money. Even in the tiny town of Forks, he was able to make a fortune off of the wealthier clientele he managed to amass.

This time, I had managed to hide my account from him, only taking the smallest amount of money that he would miss and saved. It was enough for a one way flight to Seattle. I wasn't uneducated- just a poor orphan. I graduated as Valedictorian from Forks High School and had to turn down a place at Yale due to the financial situation my parents were in, and based on the fact I deluded myself into thinking that I was quite possibly in love. I became manager of Newton's Outfitters, waiting for my crush, bad-boy James to take notice of me. I pined after him for three years, only to have him notice me at the one bar when I was celebrating my 21st birthday. He caught me up in his whirlwind, promising love and financial security, making me think I could quit my job and that what he was offering was so much better. It wasn't and I couldn't leave.

Then my parents died in a car accident. Some driver ran them off the road as they were coming back from their exhaustive shifts at the nearest lumber plant further north. It was a hit and run, but the culprit was never caught. There was a sizable insurance payout, but I wouldn't be able to access it until I was 23, or the responsible age as my dad used to say. James manipulated me into thinking that it would be more harm to attend their funeral. He also managed to convince me to sell the house and invest the money in his drug trade and personal habits.

Yet, I was also using him. For as long as I could remember, I had intense cravings once a week for human blood. My parents were aware, and so was Dr. Gerandy, the director of the hospital. He supplied me with blood bags. It never left my family and the mysterious doctor, and I knew it wasn't normal, but I didn't think it was wrong either.

That all changed when I discovered sex. Every time I came, I would bite James and drink a bit, regardless if it was more than once a week, which it usually was. He was freaked out, and constantly berated me when I would bite him so hard, but I convinced him that the pleasure was too intense and that he was a god in bed. After his first freak out, I did some inconclusive research, but nothing showed up. I was essentially a vampire- but not a full one. I didn't even know if vampires existed or if I was predetermined cannibal. My parents were certain that it had something to do with my uniquely golden brown eyes. Either way, I used James for fresh blood, something which I had developed a fast addiction to.

For my own personal sanity, and safety, I knew it was time to leave. James was down in La Push for the weekend cooking meth, and I had managed to sneak and hide some money from him. I had enough for a one way flight to Seattle, and $500. I had contacted some companies who were interested in hiring me for small assistant positions. For once in my life, everything was coming together. It would be a huge change, but I would be living with Jacob until I could settle by myself. It was perfect, since he was nursing a broken heart after his boyfriend left, allowing me to live in the spare bedroom.

My mind kept flashing over everything, trying to make sense that I would actually be leaving Forks for the first time in years as I slowly cruised down the highway towards Port Angeles. I managed to make it to the ferry dock in good time, and I was excited. I loved the ferries when I was younger, the feeling of peace and the smooth gliding of the boat. The ferry arrived in good time, and I carefully drove the truck on board. Instead of opting to sit in the cab of the truck, I decided to walk up to the side and watch the majestic fjord. It was drizzling slightly, and I was the only person to not head back to my car. The windows of the other cars began to fog up pretty quickly, and I didn't want to expose myself to claustrophobia. I heard someone walking in high heels approach me, and I turned. I couldn't see her face, but I saw her drop her bag down. She pulled out a bottle of pills with shaking hands and poured them all into her mouth.

"Hey!" I exclaimed, walking over to her. She didn't respond, but slowly turned, gagging slightly. She looked exactly like me. Taking off her ring, she pushed it into my hand, and jumped over the side of the gigantic ferry. I didn't scream, and I didn't see anyone else notice. She quickly disappeared underwater. Shaking, I began to head towards the captain's quarters or find an attendant. But I was stopped by the curiosity of figuring out who she was and why she looked exactly like me. I didn't have a twin sister, yet our appearances matched too much for us to just be sisters or cousins. I was still shaking as I quickly grabbed her bag, and ran back towards my car. Once I was safely inside, I could see people in orange vests sprinting around shouting with special googles and binoculars. The ferry continued on its journey after five minutes, and I realized that she must have jumped when she knew the attendants would be switching positions, meaning this was completely premeditated. I refused to open the bag until I was with Jake who could help me make sense of everything. Hopefully.

The airport was right next to the ferry station, and I ditched the truck, wiping down all of my finger prints. The idiot would probably report it stolen, even though he probably knew it was me who would have taken it. I threw the keys in the water and walked to the airport. I felt extremely paranoid as I walked past police who were boarding smaller boats, some of them looking at me. I pulled up my hood again, and quickly entered the building, getting on the next flight to Seattle in 30 minutes. Even after taking the other purse with me, no one stopped me, and I felt so relieved as I boarded the plane and it quickly took off.

We touched down at SEA-TAC a measly half- hour later and I saw Jake waiting for me over by baggage claim.

He wrapped his arms around me, kissing the top of my head in a brotherly manner. "It's great to see you Bells."

"I missed you Jake," I responded softly, as we walked to go and wait for my bags.

Jake knew what I had been going through and we managed to stay in touch through letters that he would send to my secret post box at the post office. he walked me out towards the buses, and we caught the next one over to Pike Place market. Jacob worked as party planner, and his business was rapidly expanding as he had a foothold with Seattle's elite, allowing him to live comfortably in a hip loft close to downtown.

We travelled in relative silence, both wrapped up in our own thoughts. Mine drifted back to the mystery girl and I wanted to know her personally. Ask her if she liked to drink human blood as well. I couldn't tell Jake, and I knew a lot of anonymous one night stands were in my future.

"Jake, this place is fabulous!" I exclaimed, as I walked into his loft. It was modern clean, despite the traditionally old architecture and exposed brick. "How are you doing?"

"Thanks, Bells. I had Laurent reno it for me," he explained, leading me to a door on the other side of the great room. "I'm okay I guess. I miss him, and he misses me too. It was kind of a misunderstanding and he wants to try again, but I just need a little more time. This is your room. Bathroom is off the closet."

I nodded and dumped the bags int he closet to unpack later, but held onto the other purse. "I think you guys can work it out. But just take it slow this time. You guys got together so fast, and when he proposed, you said no because you weren't ready. Tell him you need to take it slow and I think it will work out this time. Second time's the charm, right?"

He grinned and rolled his eyes, his eyes then darting to the purse in my hands. "Bells, who's purse is that? I know for certain that you cannot afford a Goyard."

"That's what we need to talk about," I said, heading out to the breakfast bar. He followed me and pulled the other chair closer, before heading to the fridge and grabbing a bottle of white wine and two glasses. I rolled my eyes, fully aware of Jake's predilection for white wine.

"So, spill, girl!' he said, wiggling his dark eyebrows. His dark eyes were alight with mischief. It was then I realized just how much I missed him, and how much he had grown up. His hair was in a trendy cut, styled perfectly and he was dressed casually in a blue button down and grey jeans. Too bad he batted for the other team.

"I was on the ferry over to Port Angeles airport, right? And I was the only one out of my car, just watching the world go by. I saw a woman put this purse down," I explained.

"You stole her purse? Bells, you idiot!" he cried.

"No I didn't, Jake. Well not really! Listen! She swallowed a fuck load of pills and jumped overboard. No one was out there but me because the attendants were switching places. Her body never surfaced. But that's not it, Jake. She shoved this in my hand before she jumped," I said, pulling out the ring. He took it from me.

"Damn, Bells. That's a diamond Cartier. Why did you take her purse though?" he asked, still confused.

"She looked exactly like me Jake. Too similar to be sisters or cousins- more like identical twins. But there was no way my mom was pregnant with twins. I saw her pregnancy photos," I said softly.

He looked shocked and his hands hovered over the purse. "Have you looked in here yet?"

"No, I was waiting for you."

He pulled the bag closer and took everything out carefully. Keys, passport, wallet, small bag, notebook, pen, receipts, pills, candy bar, pepper spray, a gun, Tiffany box with a ribbon and two phones. Reaching for the wallet, I pulled out her ID as Jake grabbed her passport.

"Holy fuck, Bells. This is seriously scary shit!" he exclaimed looking at the picture. I nodded meekly, looking at the one on her ID.

"She lives around here," I said, looking at the address. "Lived."

I began to take everything out of her wallet and when I saw the Black American Express Card and the Elite Visa, I knew I could have access to money easily. "Tanya Denali. It's got a certain ring to it," Jake said. "She drives an Audi."

I glanced at the keys and rolled my eyes at him. "Can you look up what medication she takes?"

"Yeah," he said grabbing his iPad. I grabbed the notebook and began to flip through it. It was clearly a journal and there were pictures and other trinkets tucked inside. I put it down and went back to her wallet, looking through it again, and found an official looking ID.

"Fuck, these are serious anti-depressants," Jake said.

"What do you think this is for?" I asked him as I threw him the ID card. He shrugged and caught it, his eyes going wide.

"She's ex FBI, Bells," he said. "Let me google her."

I waited as Jake searched for an answer, and I let my eyes wander back to her face. She looked way more gorgeous and elegant than I could ever be, fresh faced and young.

"She works as an event planner now," Jake said, a mischievous smile climbing up his face. "What if I combined my business with hers?"

I looked at Jake. "I'm not taking her identity, Jake. I might take a couple thousand in cash, but there's no way I'm going to pose as Tanya Denali."

Jacobs phone started ringing. "Hello? What? Calm the fuck down James and don't call me that! No, I haven't seen her! Fuck I haven't been able to talk to her for a year, have I. Goodbye, asshole. I'm glad she came to her sense and ditched you."

I hung my head in my hands, realizing that James would be after me. He'd be able to track the flight I took, especially if he reported his truck as stolen. Isabella Swan would be a wanted fugitive now. "Fuck me."

"Just pose as her for a bit. Get enough money, and then disappear. Easy. I doubt it would be that hard. She went to Yale, you know," he said, pulling out her sorority card.

I raised my eyebrows at that. Another similarity- too similar. "Let me see that pepper spray."

Jake tossed me the can. I twisted the spray cap off and I noticed that it didn't have the traditional nozzle. I pressed it into my hand and blood dripped out. Jake had turned, and it was just a drop, and I quickly licked it up. This was too weird and too concerning, I placed it back on the counter, like nothing had happened.

"I think we need to give you a makeover, Bells. Especially if you are going to pull this off," Jake said.

"I really don't think this is the best idea," I said softly, under my breath, so Jake couldn't hear me. Where better to hide form James than in plain sight under a new identity?


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you for the response so far- you guys are seriously super kind and I'm so glad I have been able to capture your attention! I have a pintrest; remove the spaces and it's www. pintrest AliAlicee (basically my inspiration and there's everything from food to outfits to music suggestions). Shoutout to my bestie Mads and her creative genius. After that long ramble- enjoy!**

Jacob dragged me towards my room. "Come on Honey Bee. We are going to fix your hair."

"Can I at least grab her journal to read?" I asked. He shook his head and sat me down on the toilet before disappearing back into the main loft. He returned a short time later with towels and various other beauty products. And the notebook.

"Are there any pictures of her in there as well? Something better than an ID photo?" he asked, as he handed me the notebook and began to brush out my hair. I flipped through every page, not stopping to ready the elegant script, but pulling out the random pieces of paper that were tucked inside.

"Here's one from a couple of months ago," I said as I pulled out the gorgeous candid photo of her. Passing it to Jake, I could see his mind spinning a mile a minute.

"She's so chic Bells. Look at her hair. Ahead of the trend, and you will be too," he said, handing me the picture. Tanya's hair was shinier, lighter and just down to her shoulders with light waves to give it a beachy texture. Her eyes seemed bigger than mine and she looked happy.

"Why do you think she killed herself Jake? And why in front of me, like she knew who I was?" I asked, still staring at the photo like it held all of the answers, which, unfortunately, it didn't. Whoever said pictures are worth a thousand words was clearly wrong.

"Have a bath Bells, wash your hair, read the notebook and shave everything," he said, making a move to leave.

"What if she wasn't bare down there?" I asked.

"It doesn't matter; no one will see anyway," he said with a wink. "Plus I know you like it better."

I rolled me eyes and began to undress. The bath was warm and relaxing, reminding me of the fact that it had been years since I had been able to wash myself in peace without James in the shower fucking me or watching me. I tried to clear my mind a little more, but the curiosity was burning. I picked put the notebook and began to read.

It was nothing to particular, just random quotes, to do lists, song titles, telephone numbers and occasional musings about someone called "E". I placed the notebook on the floor and went to have a shower.

Calling Jake back in from the great room, I was sat in a fluffy white robe in the middle of the bathroom. "What did you find?"

"Well, she has a significant other who she only ever refers to as 'E'. It's probably some married guy and she bought a gift for him- the Tiffany box," I explained as Jake began to blow dry my hair.

"How do you know if it's a guy for sure?" he challenged. "The fact that she's afraid to write the name, even in her own private notebook, means that she's probably afraid to admit who it is to herself even. It's totally a girl."

"She's too demure and conservative from what I've read. She's with a guy Jake. And, she wrote that she loved him, but he didn't love her back, but he wouldn't leave. Girls don't fuck with people like that- generally speaking," I argued, my mind wandering back through my own messed up relationship with James.

"I still say girl. I just happen to know a little more about homosexual relationships and tells than you do. Let's bet on it," he said. I rolled my eyes and nodded, feeling like Jacob and I had easily slipped back into our old pattern of witty chatter and sibling rivalry. "Twenty."

I nodded, and grinned at him through the mirror. Jake continued to brush my hair and give me the most amazing scalp massage while I lackadaisically flipped through the notebook. Frustrated with the lack of information and insight- into Tanya's life- I turned my attention to the mirror in front of me as he began to snip away at my long hair.

"You know that you'll have to give it up if there is someone in Tanya's life, right?" Jake said.

"Someone that doesn't love her though, so there's a chance I could get away with it," I said.

Jacob just nodded and continued to snip. I let my mind wander back to our last year in high school, when I found out that Jake was gay. We head always been best friends, and there was never any reason for me to suspect that he had a preference for males. I asked him to be the one to take my virginity- but that didn't pan out, especially when he had no idea what he was doing and broke down and started to cry. We had a real heart to heart once we both got redressed, and I helped him come to the realization that he was gay. Ever since, he and I were inseparable, until I met James. He was so homophobic, that I ditched my best friend and I wasn't even allowed to call him. Looking back, I realized that he had to have had some creepy mind control on me. Jacob's voice brought me out of my memories.

"All finished," Jake said. I looked in the mirror, shocked at the transformation. He had cut off the dry ends and my hair fell around my face softly, and very chicly with slight texture and waves. I loved it.

"It looks amazing Jake," I exclaimed, moving my head from side to side admiring the shininess and the way the hair framed my face. "Thank you."

"Hey, I'm not done yet. We have to lighten it a bit. Don't forget Seattle gets a little more sun in the summer than Forks," he said, holding up a box of hair die. "It's just going to make it a little more multi-dimensional."

"Are you sure Jake?" I said nervously.

"I'm not going to bleach it first- plus if it doesn't look right we can dye your hair back or you can just say you wanted a change," he said shrugging and donning rubber gloves.

I was tempted to shake my head, but I help it still for Jake. "Also, you'll have to take out some ear piercings, and definitely get rid of that jewelry."

"And my belly button ring?" I asked, pouting.

"Definitely," he said pulling a face. "You're too damn rebellious for your own good. Also, drop that inner bitch attitude you have whenever you meet new people. You don't need defenses- you have the ultimate one at your disposal, another person's identity!"

I knew deep down he was right. I was a bitch and from what I could tell form Tanya's notebook, she was sweet, admired and doted on, even if she wasn't loved by 'E'. "I think I might go and check out her place today."

"Shouldn't you wait until Monday? It's Saturday, and that E person could be home," Jake said, continuing to rub dye in my hair.

"I know, but I need to figure out more about her- you know go through her clothes, see if there are any pictures of her, trinkets that could give me an idea of who she really is and why we look alike," I explained.

He nodded. "Just make sure you are careful B."

We waited for the dye to set in relative silence and Jacob went about drying my hair. I glanced in the mirror again, and I was shocked. Comparing my hair to the photo, it looked exactly the same.

"If you weren't a party planner and you were struggling to find your way in life, I wouldn't let you be anything other than a hair stylist," I said, giving him a huge hug.

"No problem, B. Let's fix the rest of your look," Jake said, heading back out into my room and rifling through my bags. He returned with my makeup bag. "I know, I know. You hate makeup. But serious Bells, when you put it on you wear way too much. So not Tanya's look."

Jake taught me how to apply blush and bronzer and blend out eyeshadows and forced me to sit for at least an hour watching amateur people on YouTube apply their own.

"You have all of this perfectly good makeup and the only things you use are eyeliner and lip balm," he said.

I raised an eyebrow, feeling a little bit insulted. He quickly back tracked. "Not that you need it, but it just creates that look, like you actually really care about your appearance."

"Nice save," I said with a wink. After Jake helped me create an outfit from my meager clothes, I felt like someone completely different. I looked polished, beautiful and remarkable- a huge contrast from who I was before. I was practically glowing. "I guess I'm ready."

We gathered up Tanya's belongings and I made sure that both of her phones were turned on and that I could shove mine inside her purse as well. Jake handed me an umbrella and donned his own rain coat before stepping out into the hallway and locking the front door. We walked in silence, listening to the rain patter down on the waterproof fabrics. It was around four pm and Jake seemed to know where he was going. As we edged closer to the north side of the market, coming from Jake's house in the south, the apartment buildings looked like renovated mansions, and there seemed to be more townhouses. Flashier cars were parked outside too and spotted Audis and Aston Martins, not to mention a Bentley.

"We just passed the house. See if they have a home phone on any of her phones," he said. I tossed him the burner phone and we began to scroll through the respective contacts lists.

"Got it," I said and dialed. It went through to the answering machine, so I hung up. "No one's home."

"I'll come inside with you and then I'll leave," he said as I fished for her keys. I unlocked the door and we both slipped inside. Everything looked expensive and somehow the modern furniture blended in perfectly with the traditional architectural details of the house. I walked down the hallway and found my way into the kitchen after passing a living and dining room. The house was clean and light, yet missing personal objects like pictures- it was more like a magazine than it was lived in.

I set my bag on the island and marveled at the white Carrera marble and stainless appliances. It was a chef's dream kitchen. Jake hopped up on a barstool.

"So what's the plan?" he asked.

"Call the Apple store and make an appointment to get the iPhone's password taken off. I have her ID so it shouldn't be a problem," I said as I pulled the phones out.

"This one is filled with unknown numbers and initials, but some of the numbers look international," Jake said, showing me the contacts list on the burner phone.

"I'll wait until someone calls me, then decide if I should answer," I said, looking in the drawers. I spotted the desk that was built much like the rest of the kitchen. After rifling through it, I found her party planning stuff. "Your competition is Tanya right?"

"Yeah," he said wearily.

"What if we merge and I fire all of my employees who could easily notice something was up," I said, drumming my fingers across the binder.

"I feel bad taking a dead woman's company," he said.

"Firstly, she's dead, and she'd be dead anyway, so you would take her customers. Secondly, I don't know shit about planning a party either," I said, as Jake shook his head reluctantly.

"What the fuck am I getting myself into Bells?" he asked, just as I heard a noise int he entrance hall.

"What was that?" I whispered. Both of us stiffened as we heard footsteps approaching. Suddenly, a gorgeous adonis appeared in the doorway, and I saw Jake eye him up too. I glanced at Jake, noticing that the adonis was watching me with narrowed eyes. Shit, I would have to say hi.

Walking out from behind the counter I stood on my toes and caught his lips in a simple kiss. It sent shivers down my spine. "You're awfully friendly today, aren't you?"

His voice was like velvet and I knew I would have to work extra hard to keep the charade up. I smiled coyly at him. "I want to introduce you to someone."

"Your rival? Really Tanya? What the hell are you up to?" he asked, not missing a beat and watching me carefully with his piercing emerald eyes.

"We've deiced to merge our companies. He made me an offer I couldn't refuse. It was a smart decision," I explained, biting my lip nervously.

"And what, pray tell, was that offer?" he asked snidely.

I couldn't resist letting the snarky inner bitch out. "Friendship. Something I have been severely lacking."

"Oh please, you have Jessica and Lauren," he said, waving me off. "I come home from a long, exhausting trip and I don't appreciate being greeted by a business meeting when no layers are present."

"It's my company, E," I said. And by the way his eyes darkened, I knew I made my first grave mistake.

"E? What the fuck is that Tanya? My name is Edward, not some fucking letter! And I thought I told you to stop biting your lip!" he said. "You are never this bold, and right now, I wish you would be fuckign submissive like normal."

I glared at him, grasping for an excuse. And then I remembered the bottle of pills she swallowed- something that could explain my behavior from here on out. "I'm off my meds now Edward."

His eyes widened, and he looked- apologetic. "I'm so sorry, Tanya. That's excellent news! Why didn't you call me?"

"I locked myself out of my iPhone so I have to go to the Apple store tomorrow. Will you come with me?" I asked, boldly.

"You hate it when I go shopping with you," he said, eyebrows furrowed.

"Yes, well, this is not a shopping trip. Plus I missed you," I said, purring slightly. I turned back to Jake, who nodded at me. "Thank you Miss Denali. I'll speak to you on Monday. Have a good evening both of you."

He let himself out, and I turned back to Edward. "That fucker wants into your panties."

"He's gay, Edward. Why the hell are you so possessive anyway?" I asked heading back into the hall. He didn't answer and I didn't hear him follow, so I began to strip, leaving pieces of clothing along the way and up the stairs until I found the master bedroom. I took a deep breathe and calmed myself, hoping and praying to God that I wouldn't give myself away if I bit him. I heard the door handle turn and the faint light from the upstairs hallway seeped into the otherwise dark, luxurious room.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hopefully you enjoy this chapter! Shoutout to Mads as usual!**

Edward strolled in slowly, and I noticed he was no longer wearing his blue button down shirt or belt or shoes. He was a God- his body perfectly defined, rippling muscles that begged to be touched, worshipped even. He had a slightly sun kissed glow to him and he green eyes were tantalizing, shining brightly even in the dark. He shut the door, but made no move to turn on the lights, almost like he could see through the sexually charged atmosphere. I shivered as I lay on the bed, straining to hear any slight movement. I felt warm lips and a nose dragging along my lower leg, and I knew he could feel the goosebumps on my skin. It only took me a few seconds to realize that he was actually smelling me. His fabulous touch continued up to my thigh and his tongue would occasionally dart out to drop out a damp kiss. He pulled away and I missed his touch instantly. I felt his lips on mine, not moving, just resting, touching mine with a feather light touch. I couldn't take it anymore- I was beyond aroused. I pressed my lips to his and invaded his surprised mouth with my tongue. Taking advantage of his surprise, I pushed him back so that he was lying on his back. Straddling him, I realized he had somehow taken off his pants. How the hell did he do that without me hearing?

He quickly sat up, and captured my lips in another kiss after pressing our noses together, an intimate gesture that made me shiver with anticipation once again.

Without any substantial warning, he had slipped into me, and we were moving in a soft cadence, just rolling and grinding our hips. He was surprisingly gentle, but I needed more. I pushed his shoulders down again and took full control, much to his surprise. Our pace picked up, faster, harder and I knew Edward was no longer holding back. As I felt myself let go, I bent over and bit the side of his neck where his shoulder joined. His blood was fragrant, delicious an sweeter- much tastier than what was flowing through James' drug riddled body. Edward found his own release quickly after I had my fill of his blood, after I orgasmed for a second time. He pulled out of me, and stood up, heading towards what seemed like the door. A light came on, and I realized that he was in the en suite bathroom. I had no idea what he would do if he saw the obvious bite marks on his body, or what he would say- or if Tanya even drank off him. I nervously slipped under the covers and flipped over, so my back was to the bathroom door. I heard the door open and I felt Edward slid into bed next to me. His arms found me and he pulled me against his chest.

I guess this was after sex cuddling. James never stuck around, or understood the hit my confidence took when he never held me lovingly.

"That was so different, Tanya. You normally hate being on top or taking control," he whispered in my ear, nibbling and pulling at the lobe with his teeth as he spooned against me. "It was so hot. And are you bare? You are trying to kill me woman."

"I felt like a change," I responded, laying my hand over the one that was resting on my hip.

"You're finally showing who you really are. I love it," he said, pressing his obvious arousal against me. I couldn't help but smile a bit, but I had to ask a question that was burring in the back of my mind. "Even though you are acting so different, like another person."

"Did I hurt you?" I whispered, as he was kissing my neck softly, trailing butterfly kisses, making me squirm at the sensation.

"How many times have I told you that I don't care. I'm glad I didn't have to show you where to bite this time. At least you aren't trying to starve yourself again," he responded, placing his hand over mine, and twining our fingers together. He slid our connected hands from my hip further and further South. He used my own hand to bring me to a quick release thanks to how sensitive I was after drinking his blood and feeling him inside me the first time. I threw my leg back, over his hips and he slid into me again, moving slowly and caressing my body the whole time. "You can drink my blood anytime- it's a part of who you are and what you need if you want to live."

I was shocked at how loving he was being, and I could see why Tanya let her heart get away from her, especially if he was this spectacular in bed. At first notice he was an asshole, rude and domineering, especially over Tanya when she was on some serious medicine. I didn't get him and I knew it was only going to become even more complicated. Especially his seemingly innocent comments that let me know he knew more than what he was actually letting on.

I woke up to light streaming through the windows of the spectacular room. It took me a while to get used to my surroundings and understand why I was lying in a bed- now that was not my own and why I was naked. I sat up, pulling the sheet up too when I head footsteps in the hall way.

"Morning Tan," Edward said, as he appeared in the doorway dressed and ready to face the day. "It's ten and you said you have to go to the Apple store to get your phone fixed?"

I nervously tried to run my hand through my hair. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier? I slept most of the morning away!"

He looked puzzled again- an expression I was becoming well acquainted with when I didn't do something Tanya would do. "You always sleep in."

"Yeah, but I wanted to go to the gym," I said.

"You never go to gym either. Is that why you've lost weight?" he asked.

I shrugged, took a deep breathe, and got out of bed in all of my glory. Edward's eyes were raking my legs as he took in the amount of skin I was showing him. "You mean you don't like it?"

I buried my own insecurities as I let him look at me.

"Fuck Tanya. You are even more beautiful if that's even possible," he whispered. "Before I get distracted and we spend the day in bed, go have a shower and get ready to go."

He left the room, leaving me a little confused and rather embarrassed by his compliment. Most boyfriends would jump at the chance to stay in bed all day, but when Tanya talked about unrequited love, I realized intimacy was not common.

After spending what seemed like hours trying to find an appropriate outfit, I came downstairs in black jeans, white shirt, grey cardigan and a black leather jacket over my arm.

"Did you suddenly get more fashionable over night or something?" Edward asked, a slight trace of malice in his tone, as I entered the kitchen. "You used to bitch about the clothes I bought you, especially if they weren't designer."

I shrugged, piecing together his relationship with Tanya more and more. "I guess I realized it was rather immature of me."

"I'm glad I wasted that money then."

"I bought some of those clothes too," I said, hoping that Tanya actually did.

"No, you mean you spent most of your money on your various other boyfriends," he said, slamming his cup of coffee down on the counter.

"I'm sorry," I said, not having a single idea of what to do, even though the anger was weeping up inside of me. "But you need to know that I love you, and that I would never do that to you. If anything, it's you who would cheat on me. When have you ever returned those words?"

He looked at me with a shocked expression. "Tanya, I-I…"

"Save it. You are an asshole, and now, I realize that this relationship is nothing but convenient. So do me a favor. Leave or get over whatever is stopping you from feeling."

"You know I can't leave you," he said softly, turning on his charm.

"Why?" I asked simply, and judging from his expression, I knew Tanya never asked him or confronted him about it.

"I just can't," he mumbled, looking at the floor. "You know my parents."

"Save the bullshit and suck it up Edward. Are you going to come with me?" I asked, as I slid on my jacket and grabbed the purse.

"Yeah," he said, grabbing his jacket off the back of the desk chair. "I'll drive."

I followed him out the door and locked up, as he walked towards a sleek Aston Martin. I climbed into the luxurious interior and Edward pulled out into the traffic.

"Why did you have sex with me last night?" he asked.

"Because I wanted to," I responded.

"Is it because you are off your meds?" he asked.

"You know my antidepressants wouldn't have made that much of a difference. If anything, I should have been jumping your bones because I was so happy," I responded.

"So why then?" he asked. "To distract me?"

"I wanted to be with you and repair this relationship," I said softly.

He continued to drive towards downtown Seattle, neither of us breaking the tense silence. He turned into a multistory car park and pulled up in front of the valet stand.

"Wasted money?" I muttered under my breath, causing him to scowl as he tossed the valet the keys and took his ticket.

"Principle," he said.

I snorted and he looked incredulous. "Did you just snort?"

"I did," I said, challenging him.

"What happened to you?" he whispered softly, smiling.

I rolled my eyes, finding my self face to face with another one of his signature shocked faces.

We walked through the open door way and into the Apple store, where a woman in a blue tee shirt jumped at the chance to help us. I didn't miss the way she was glancing at Edward and puffing out her chest and preening either. Edward spoke.

"My girlfriend had locked herself out of her phone, computer and iPad, so she needs a real reset of all of her passwords.

"Okay, well, I can help you with that if you want. Do you have all of the devices with you?" she simpered, still focusing on Edward.

"Actually, I think I'll just buy new devices instead," I said, as she turned, sneering at me.

"I can give you a full hands-on tutorial if you would like," she said, ignoring me. I snuggled into Edward's side and squeezed his ass, causing his eyes to widen and him to look down at me, a smirk appearing on his face.

"What do you think, baby?" he asked.

"New devices. I'll just need contacts and documents- so I'll only need a new iCloud password to access them," I said, watching her expression.

"Let's start with the password then," she said waving us over to a large wooden table. "May I see you ID?"

"Edward, I can't reach my purse," I said, and he stepped back. I fished through the purse and grabbed my wallet and threw the ID card on the table.

"Leah, what are you doing?" I heard someone say as they approached us. "I'm so sorry, I'll be helping you two out today."

I glanced at the obviously senior employee, who was smiling and professional.

"Well, we were here to get my iCloud password reset and buy some new devices," I explained as she smiled.

"Alright, I'm Emily. Can you type in your social security number here?" she asked, handing me an iPad. I froze, knowing this would be the moment I would blow the whole thing.

Edward began whispering numbers in my ear, and I typed them in. It was pretty straightforward to reset the password and upgrade her old computer and phone to the latest models. When it was time to purchase them, I handed over her credit card, even though Edward already had his wallet out. I assumed Tanya had her own bank accounts and I saw the debit cards confirming my suspicions.

"Thank you for all of your help, Emily," I said with a smile as she walked us out of the store and into the light Seattle rain. Edward kept his arm around me. "Let's go out for lunch."

He smiled softly at me. "What did you have in mind?"

"Surprise me," I said, strolling towards the multistory as Edward directed me with his hand against my lower back. It sent chills up and down my spine.

We waited for the mean driving machine to be delivered to us and quickly climbed into the warm interior. Edward pushed some buttons and the calming melody of Clocks filled the enclosed space. I settled back into the seat and let myself enjoy the drive through the city and the musical masterpiece. Halfway through, Edward broke the silence.

"You know, Tanya hates Coldplay. She would throw a fit until I turned it off," he said conversationally, like he was saying 'it's raining today'.

I froze, and knew I hate to clever to get out of this one. "I want our relationship to work Edward, so I'm willing to suck it up. It's five minutes of my life where I can zone the awful music out- a mini meditation session. Also, why are you referring to me like there's someone else in the car?" I responded evenly, looking at my nails.

"Save the bullshit," he said as he pulled into a parking spot. He turned the car off. "We are going into the restaurant, eat a nice lunch and discuss the changes in your attitude."

His demeanor switched back to the cool, aloof and downright mean man. He was hardened in a way that most late twenty-olds wouldn't be, like he had seen all of the horrors in the world, almost like James had. He practically stormed into the restaurant and ignored the desperate attempts of the hostess to flirt with him or capture his attention.

We were shown a private table in what looked to be a very upscale Italian restaurant. Edward was still cold and distant, watching my every move with eyes like a hawk.

"Hello, my name is-" I looked up at the server and saw that she looked exactly like me. It was like Tanya and I, except she was alive, standing in front of me. She bolted before Edward even had a chance to look up from his menu.

"I'm so sorry for that! Makenna isn't feeling to well. I'm Maggie. Welcome to La Bella," she said. "Anything for you to drink?"

"I'll have a glass of the pinot grigio," Edward said, still watching me. "But just one glass, I'm driving."

"The pinot noir please," I said, hoping that I ordered the correct wine and that I made a good decision about the wine, following Edward's lead. It was risky, but one that I had to take. It would be worse if he thought I was pregnant or something.

She walked off to get our wine and Edward just sat there, elbows resting on the table, fingers laced together in front of his lips. I decided that I was going to stare him down as well. The wine was placed on our table and I took a greedy sip, eager for the relaxing effect of the alcohol to enter my system.

"You don't like red wine," he stated evenly.

"I thought I would like a change," I said.

"You don't drink wine either."

"I can now that I'm off the meds," I responded, still meeting his gaze evenly, even though I was trembling on the inside.

"No, you don't drink wine because your parents were killed by a drunk driver," he said softly.

"I've been drinking for years, Edward. You drove me to break my own personal rules- I just kept telling you what you wanted to hear, to try to make you love me," I said, hoping that response would be acceptable.

"Cut the bullshit," he spat, glaring now. "Who the fuck are you? We both sure as hell know you aren't Tanya."


	4. Chapter 4

**You guys are an amazing audience! The reviews make my day and I love having in depth conversations with some of you about the plot. Enjoy! Special thanks to Mads as usual.**

"You're right," I said simply, not looking up and not wanting to meet the accusing glare that I was sure to come face to face with.

"Oh, so now you actually start acting all submissive like Tanya," he said disdainfully. I was too cowardly to even look up at him again. "I'll ask this one more time. Who the fuck are you?"

"My name is Isabella Swan and I watched Tanya kill herself," I said softly.

"Crazy motherfucking bitch," he whispered, sinking lower. "My father is going to kill me now."

"Yeah, I know," I said softly. I didn't understand what he meant about his father. And I was too scared to ask.

"No, not you. I don't even understand why you would want her life, but I'm not going to judge you until I hear your story. I judged Tanya too much and look where that got me. No one can know about this." he whispered. "It's for our own safety."

"So what's this about your father then?" I asked, finally drawing my eyes up from the pristine tablecloth to the sad eyes of Edward.

"He's the cause of all of this madness. And I hate him for it," he spat, sounding fairly resigned. He ran a hand through his hair. "I need to know who you are and what the hell happened. Why the fuck do you look like Tanya?"

"I don't know much and I'm no longer sure of anything. I was born at Forks Hospital nearly twenty three ago and I lived with my biological parents until I was nineteen, when I moved out. I had the option to study at Yale, but I turned it down because there was no way I could afford it and I was convinced that I was in love. So I went to community college. When I turned twenty one, I met James. I had liked him for years and he only just noticed me," I explained, watching as Edward listened and focused intently on what I was saying. I continued. "He convinced me he was Mr. Right, and he could be downright sweet and thoughtful when he wanted to be. But, he was in charge and involved with anything drug related in our town- which meant a lot, considering most adults smoked pot to escape their dismal lives. He began to isolate me from my old friends, keeping me from seeing Jacob. That was hard as he was practically my brother."

"So that man- the one in kitchen when I came home, is Jacob Black, right? He's the same Jacob?" Edward asked.

"Yeah. I knew I needed to keep Tanya's job, and who better to help me than her number one competition. We'd be unstoppable," I said, thinking about my homecoming queen campaign- something that made me less of a wallflower.

"Why was this James guy so intent on isolating you?" Edward asked.

"He said it was his job and that I was his. Looking back, I seriously think he brainwashed me. It was a one sided love thing. And back in high school, I wasn't the most popular, but everyone liked me. He never did probably because he was a few years older, but when I turned twenty one that all changed," I said, waiting to tell the worst part of my story. "And, a year ago, I started hiding my money from him so I could escape. Especially after he prevented me from going to my parent's funeral."

Edward looked confused. "When and how did they die?"

He wasn't being tactful, but I knew he wasn't being mean. Something was up. "Just after I turned twenty one and got with James. They were killed in a car crash. Why?"

"Tanya's parents were killed in a crash just after I met her. And I have reason to believe that's what got her addicted to her medication. And there are too many similarities about you being in love with James- like Tanya was in love with me," Edward said, watching me with his perceptive green eyes and waiting for my reaction.

"She was addicted?" I asked, not believing this. I didn't want to explore the idea of unrequited love, so I buried it away for another time.

He nodded. "I guessed you weren't Tanya when you said you stopped taking your meds and I didn't see any bottles anywhere."

"Holy shit!" I exclaimed, digging through my bag- Tanya's bag. I pulled out the empty pill bottle and placed it on the white table cloth in front of him. Edward raised his eyebrows, waiting for the point.

"She swallowed all of these pills and then jumped," I said softly. "And she gave me this ring. It might have been her way of telling me to take her life, and telling you I wasn't her."

Edward sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. "She was fucked up Bella. She didn't care about anyone else really, so I wouldn't read too much into it."

I nodded, realizing that I really knew nothing about Tanya at all. "So, what's your story?"

Edward's eyes widened, and he quickly scanned the restaurant. "Not here."

He stood up quickly, threw two hundred dollar bills on the table, and held out his hand. I took it and we began to rush through the restaurant, ignoring the charge that was running through my body at the skin to skin contact.

"Wait! Tanya!" We both turned to the person who called my name, and I was suddenly pressed into Edward's back, under his protective stance. I couldn't see who it was, but we walked back through the restaurant and out through a back exit. Edward stepped to the side and I was face to face with the server who looked exactly like me.

"Tanya, what the hell?" she all but screamed at me.

"Hey, this-" Edward started, but was cut off by an angry glare from both of us. He muttered something under his breath.

"We agreed never to cross paths at places of work! What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded.

"It's Makenna, right?" I asked slowly. She snorted, and glared at me.

"Well, as you can tell from my hair I'm certainly not Alice or Rose!" she yelled.

"I'm not Tanya," I said quickly.

"Stop fucking with me! Who else could you possibly be? There are six of us and we've met all of them! Stop it Tanya! Have the meds got to your head now?" she continued to rant. "I knew this would happen! And shit, you just revealed to Edward that there are more of us! Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

"This isn't Tanya," Edward said. "I have no fucking idea who you are, but obviously you are all related, so maybe you should just listen."

"Stay out of this Edward! You are a son of a bitch, you know that right?" Makenna turned on him.

"Stop! My name is Isabella Marie Swan and I took Tanya's place!" I burst out, sensing Makenna was at her breaking point.

She shook her head, tears shining in her eyes. "No, you can't be!"

"I saw Tanya kill herself and she gave me her ring," I said. "I don't exactly sound like Tanya do, I? Tanya didn't yell, and I'm fucking screaming at you, so just listen!"

Makenna calmed, and listened as I gave her the basic run down of my story. She looked disappointed when I told her about Tanya jumping, but she seemed to understand.

"That girl shouldn't have given up. But she was too weak," Makenna said. "You shouldn't be so surprised that your parents died the same way, just after you both met who you thought would be the loves of your life. My boyfriend Riley and I had been together for a week before my parents were killed in a crash too. And guess what? He doesn't love me back. Sound familiar?"

I nodded, and Edward looked sheepish. "James was awful."

"I have no idea how you exist right now. There are no records of you anywhere. And we found all of them."

"What do you mean exist? And why aren't there records?" I asked, puzzled.

"We aren't sisters and we aren't related," she said tentatively.

"That's impossible. You have to be related," Edward said.

"No, we are all the same person," Makenna said. "There are six of us. Well, now seven."

"How can we all be the same person?" I asked, getting more and more freaked out.

"We are clones."

I shook my head. "I'm sorry, what?"

"C-L-O-N-E-S," she said. "Look, I know it's a lot to take in, so I'll let you go, but I'll be at your place at ten once I finish my shift with proof, okay?"

I nodded, too shocked to really say anything. I was barely aware of Edward talking and him helping me get into the car. My mind was reeling and filled with too many questions. Questions that needed to be answered.

I glanced at Edward. He didn't look shocked or surprised, or even slightly dazed.

"You knew about the clones didn't you?" I asked softly.

He tensed, and nodded. "I know Riley, Emmett, Jasper, Benjamin, Vladimir and myself. I can't explain any more without putting you in grave danger."

I shook my head, shutting him out. I needed to talk to Jake. He would understand. "Why the hell didn't you tell me."

"I can't. You aren't supposed to be here, let alone be part of the six. But you are and I have no idea where you have come from or why you even exist," he said as we flew through the streets of downtown Seattle.

I didn't know how to respond to the admission that I wasn't supposed to be alive hurt.

"That ring, the one Tanya gave you is a tracker. Now, more than ever, it's important you always wear it. Just by you seeing Makenna there are at least a hundred people who could be ready to kill you. And I need to be able to protect you," Edward said as he pulled up in front of the town house. I nodded, looking at the simple ring wondering how a tracker could even be fitted into such a small item of jewelry.

He grabbed the bags from the trunk and unlocked the front door. I glanced over my shoulder, realizing that I was becoming paranoid. I made a beeline for the kitchen and began to boil some water.

"What would you like?" I asked, looking around for a coffee pot or some other coffee appliance.

"Tea, please. The cabinet to the left of the stove," he said, sitting on a bar stool on the other side of the island.

I sat down next to him with the drinks and he turned to me. "I guess it's my turn to tell you what I know. I didn't- well, couldn't tell Tanya this, and you are not to tell anyone else, understand?"

"Of course. I can't betray your trust without expecting you to betray mine. Why don't you start off by telling me how you and Tanya met?" I asked, feeling a little sheepish for making him look so uncomfortable.

He took a deep breathe. "I was born and raised in England. I joined MI-6 straight out of college. I met Tanya, here, when I was working with the FBI on an assignment to investigate and take out my own father."

"Edward, I'm so sorry you had to go through that," I said softly, laying a hand on his tense forearm.

"I can't go into many details, but I'll tell you the whole story on a need to know basis, okay? It's safer and easier that way," he said. "My father is always keeping tabs on me."

"You don't sound English and I don't understand how you aren't with them," I said, picking up that there was more to this story than he let on.

"My real name, the one I used to go by was Anthony Masen. I simply let the officials believe I died on the job here. But in actuality, my father got to me. And he got to Tanya," he said. He paused, listening slightly. "You need to stay here and be quiet."

He silently moved and turned off the lights and I was scared. I could hear my own heartbeat echoing through the room. Suddenly the darkness was punctuated by the shrill screech of the kettle boiling. Then there was a gun shot.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I don't know if I managed to get the ages right or do the correct math- but let's just say from here on out they are all 26 (expect Edward). All will be explained… Enjoy! Also, because I am not scientifically minded, I have no idea if a crossed chromosome could cause a disease like the one explained later on, and I have no idea if, even in the future it would be possible to target chromosomes on a molecular level too. **

I was frozen in place, shocked, scared and unsure what to do. I left the kettle screeching and I jumped up and grabbed a knife out of the block on the counter. I padded slowly down the dark hall and I was struggling to see anything but the lumpy black shapes that I knew to be people. I slid my hand up and down the wall, and found the light switch. Taking a deep breath, I knew that as soon as I turned on the lights I would be seen by the unknown person with a gun. I took the chance.

"Ahhhh!" I screamed, charging forwards, blinking rapidly, hoping my eyes would adjust to the lights soon enough.

"Bella! Stop!" Edward yelled, and I noticed him kneeling by another girl who looked just like me. On the other side of her was another girl and Makenna. "I shot her, we need to get the bullet out."

I swallowed thickly and nodded at Makenna, before waving them all into the kitchen. I cleared off the counter top and grabbed a few pillows from the living room and turned of the loud metal kettle. "Well, fuck you Edward."

I glanced at the girl who's hair was cut in a very short, yet sleek bob, coming sharply to her chin. It looked good. "I'm Bella."

She looked surprised, and looked me up and down, before shaking my outstretched hand. "Alice Brandon. Sorry that we just showed up completely unannounced. Makenna doesn't understand the difference between covert and dangerous, especially since we know who Edward is."

I raised my eyebrows. "Oh?"

"You know what? Let's get Rosalie fixed up and then we can explain everything. I don't think Edward has told you all that he knows, and known about for the past few months. I think he has been lying to you," Alice said, carefully, watching my reaction and making sure Edward was busy working on Rosalie with Makenna. It clicked, especially as he had said he knew about the other clones while playing dumb in front of Makenna.

I turned around just as Edward managed to pull the bullet out with a pair of tweezers. Rosalie was biting on a towel and I admired her strength and high pain tolerance. "Rose was in the military and has been shot before."

I looked at Alice, totally surprised. "You certainly wouldn't know that."

"Yeah, she was special ops, Navy Seals. I didn't even know a woman could reach such a high level until I met her. Apparently, she got in pretending to be a guy and bribed the doctors because she was so good at what she did," Alice said as we watched her begin to stitch up her own wound as Makenna watched over her and Edward began cleaning up. "What do, I mean, what did you do back in Forks?"

"Oh, I was foolishly in love and helped my drug dealer boyfriend who wouldn't let me see anyone but him. I missed my parents' funerals because of that bastard. Right now, I'm taking over Tanya's business with my best friend, Jacob Black," I explained.

"Don't sweat over that asshole, Bella. Edward hasn't been able to take his eyes off you," Alice said softly.

I blushed and turned away. "What do you do when you aren't, waiting for your clone friends to finish stitching themselves up?"

"I was a detective, but my current boyfriend, Jasper thought it was too dangerous and made me quit, so I'm a librarian now. It's no where near as interesting, but I've nearly read all of the crime novels," she explained shrugging.

"You shouldn't have quit what you love," I said. "You love him right?"

"I do. And that's why I did quit. I thought it would make him love me more, you know? But he still treats me the exact same way. I don't even know why I'm still with him, but I can't bring myself to leave him either," she said.

"Yeah, I went through the same thing with James, but I left and then I saw Tanya kill herself. What better place to hide than in plain sight?" I said.

"I am so fucking pissed at you Edward! I've never even met you, but god, Tanya was right- you are an asshole," Rosalie said, her long, messy hair tangled with sweat. She eased off the counter top and straight into one of the bar stools next to Makenna. "You must be Bella."

"Yeah, uh hi," I said, feeling extremely intimidated by her. "Sorry we had to meet like this."

"Don't worry. He didn't hit anything vital, so I'll be fine. I'm Rosalie Hale," she said.

"Alright, why don't we just start off with you asking us questions, Bella?" Makenna said, taking charge of the situation.

"Um, how come all of you seem to have military backgrounds?" I asked, not missing the concerned glances that were shared between them as I waited for them to answer my question.

"You catch on fast. We don't know, but it's certainly not coincidence. I was also in the military- just not at the same level as Rose," Makenna said. "I met Riley, and I found myself back at school, working as a waitress, around the same time that Alice dropped out of the police force and Rose finished her tour."

"And Tanya quit her job at the FBI," I added. "Did all of your parents die in a car crash like mine?"

"Yeah," Alice said softly. "And I honestly though they were my biological parents."

"I did too," Rosalie said. "It's like someone is pulling strings and has complete control over our lives. How? I don't know, but fuck me if I feel like a sitting duck."

"Who is your boyfriend?" I asked her. She looked at Edward.

"My brother," Edward said softly. "We both know that we have girlfriends, but our relationships were casual. We can't love back. And it's the same for Riley, Jasper and James."

"What the hell do you know Edward?" Makenna asked, angry.

"You know when they all disappear around the 10th of every month to do whatever?" he prompted, and they all nodded. James did that too. "Well, they are actually going to Cullen Industries. Why? To get injections that genetically modify their DNA codes. It's physically impossible for them to love back."

"How do you know this Edward?" I asked, surprised. "And why, if no one knows about me, is James a part of this too?"

"I used to work for MI-6. Then they tasked me to kill my own father, assassinate him. To be fair, I wasn't Edward Cullen to them, I was Anthony Mason. He was running unethical trials of drugs and experimenting with human babies. I went rouge, and he moved to the US and went back to his main head quarters at Yale. I bet you all have a connection with Yale. I was offered immunity by the FBI, if I continued to spy on my father. I told him about what I was told to do to him in the UK, and I earned his trust. And then he put me in charge of a group of super special men who looked after extremely special girls. I met Tanya through the deal, and my father was ecstatic that I had already met a clone- I was tasked with the job to protect her. Then the injections started and I was addicted to the feeling of power they gave me, so I would always come back. It's the way he instills loyalty in your significant others. I met all of the other guys, who know about the clones as well. They all know there are more of you out there," Edward said finishing up his story.

"What's the connection to Yale? My father used to work there before he was fired and we moved to Seattle," Rose asked.

"I was offered a full scholarship to Yale," I said.

"Tanya dropped out when she was poached by the FBI," Edward said. "It's where the headquarters for the experiments take place."

"Holy shit," Alice mumbled under her breath.

"How old are you Bella?" Makenna asked quickly, turning back towards us from whatever silent conversation she was having with Alice.

"I'm 22, why?" I asked, looking at the confusion on their faces.

"Bella, we are all 26- you're four years younger than us. If we are truly clones- which we know for a fact, then you are physically and scientifically impossible," Alice said. "Let me look something up, actually."

She pulled out her laptop and began to access the Cullen Industries website, before launching a coding program and typing furiously into her laptop. "Edward, tell your dad to update the security system on his servers."

"Bella, actually, you are 26 years old," Alice said softly waiting for the news to sink in. I shook my head at her.

"I think I would know," I said.

"Up until you were four, you were tested on," she said softly. "According to the files, they managed to manipulate your brain and memories to make you think you were younger to account for lost time."

I looked at Edward who looked shocked. I had no idea how to react. "Is everything from my childhood false then?"

"No, not unless you remember earlier," Alice said. "Which you should be able to according to this file. Hey Makenna, does this mean what I think it does?"

They began to look at the computer screen and whisper. Edward came over and wrapped his arms around me and I melted into his embrace. "It's okay Bella. We will get to the bottom of this."

"I'm not sure I want to," I said softly. "Can I call Jake tomorrow and have you explain everything to him?"

He looked conflicted, but nodded. "You know, he was your best friend, but he knew you were special and had to look out for you and report anything weird to my father when he was younger."

"How does you father have so much power over everyone?" I said, feeling angry, betrayed even.

"He helped Billy walk again," Edward said. Everything clicked into place. When Jacob came out as gay, he was replaced, Billy could walk, James took notice of me. I needed to create a timeline of events and try to understand why Edward's messed up father had so much control over me.

"Bella, have you always been exceptionally smart?" Rosalie asked.

I shrugged. "I mean, school was too easy."

"We think you have access to more parts of you brain than any other human, but it's being suppressed by a messed up gene and crossed chromosome they managed to put in you," Alice explained. "Do you drink human blood?"

I looked shocked. "Yeah, Tanya did too, I think."

"We know she did, but they just implemented that gene as a trial to see what it would suppress. From her they found that it would work to stop you from being able to access more than half of your brain," Makenna said. "But if you stop drinking the blood, you'll die. I'm not a scientist, and neither of us can feel you any more than that."

"This is seriously messed up," I said. "What do I do?"

"Do what you were planning to do. Take over Tanya's life, figure out why she looked like you, seduce Edward- but this, it's good that you are aware of what you are, what you can do. Because if you weren't you'd probably be in much more danger than you are now," Rosalie said. "Emmett is due to come home soon, and I bet Riley and Jasper are too."

Everyone stood up to leave, and Alice gave me a hug. "It will all work out Bella. It takes some time, but I don't think it will get any worse."

"Goodnight you two," Makenna called from the entry way. And then they were gone.

Edward was watching me as I began looking through the kitchen cabinets. "What are you looking for?"

"Vodka, scotch, wine, you know," I said shrugging.

"We don't have any," he said.

"Oh, damn it."

"Just breathe, Bella. Come on, let go upstairs and rest, even if you don't sleep. We can figure everything out tomorrow. Alice sent me your file and we'll be able to look at it tomorrow," Edward said.

I stopped. "Do you think they were able to access the file now because your father knows I've taken Tanya's place? As soon as Makenna contacted Alice, she would have hacked in to try and find me, so the records would have been destroyed or hidden. But then, she knew."

Edward looked at me, placed a finger to my lips and brought his mouth to my ear. "I think that the house is bugged. Just act normal and follow my lead, okay?"

His lips brushed my cheek. "Just relax and forget about it okay? My father will never be arrested, he's too smart, but we can use information to know about your past, which is all we really want."

I nodded, realizing that Edward meant just the opposite. We weren't going to find out about my past- we were going to blow the lid off of it, and he was going to kill anyone that stood in our way.


End file.
